Animation 4 Life Conference, Bristol

I have just got back from the Animation 4 Life conference in Bristol, a marvellous shindig organised by Ross Garner, the man responsible for Stop Motion Pro. The aim of the conference was to bring together people in many different areas of practice (education, art therapy, psychotherapy, social work, probation work etc.) to look at the socially useful and therapeutic ways that animation might be used. I was there to talk about the New Addington Primary School's Animation Project (see posts below) but as a speaker I found myself in very esteemed company indeed; Nick Kallincos, and Australian animator and educator who worked in remote aboriginal communities; Hanna Pedersen, a Danish Animator who was using animation to tackle issues of literacy and finally Helen Mason, a consultant occupational therapist who was looking at the way animation could be used to help people with anxiety, OCD and other psychological issues. They all showed a great deal of work, but one of the most affecting things I saw was "Dog" which I've embedded below so that other people can see it. Its an animated film which was, I believe made with the express purpose of dealing with some of the issues that arise in grief counselling, and it was shown by Helen Mason to demonstrate that animation can reach some areas that other media cannot.
There will be more on Animation 4 Life soon, with the intention that it becomes an annual event. I sincerely hope so, as this kind of work is exactly the sort of thing that a specialist media arts school should be involved in.